ATHENA MICHAELIDOU - ''THE PUBLIC SCHOOL IN A NEW PHASE OF MODERNISATION'' - THE 2026-27 SCHOOL YEAR HAS A DUAL GOAL - Filenews 2/8 by Evangelia Sizopoulou
Every year at this time, we may be going through a vacation period, however, for some issues of Education, the machines are working at full speed. And this is because a lot of things need to be done so that schools can reopen in September without problems. This year, however, the Ministry of Education has another issue before it, which it will have to run as the schedules are tight. This is none other than the teacher appointment system, for which the Minister of Education gave her proposal to the educational organizations a few days ago. Athena Michaelidou speaks to the Sunday “F” about this proposal, its details and goals, but also about the relations with the organizations, which in some issues we see going through difficult phases. At the same time, the Minister presents the data in view of the new school year, stating that it will be important as the public school enters a new phase of modernization. Which chapters are open? Which are on the way to settlement? What is the role of dialogue? These are some of the points on which the Minister was asked to give her own positions.
What are the data in view of the start of the new school year and what are the priorities of the Ministry of Education (MOE) for schools?
The new school year begins with a strong reformist character. It is a year where significant changes, for which we have worked systematically in previous years, are now more substantially integrated into the everyday life of the school. Preparation for the new school year is at a very advanced stage and planning has begun on time, with clear schedules and continuous cooperation of all the Directorates and Services of the MOE. Issues related to staffing, educational materials, infrastructure and the daily operation of school units are systematically monitored. Of course, due to the nature of the educational system, individual variations may occur in September. This happens every year, but it does not affect the smooth start of the school year.
What is important for this year is that we are moving forward with a new phase of modernization of the public school. We have before us a series of priorities, on which we are working in parallel. An important priority - from which others also flow - is the quality of teaching and learning. We continue to review and rationalize the Curricula, in order to limit excessive material and the knowledge-centred approach of the school. We are strengthening all actions that strengthen the school of skills, and we give space to critical thinking, creativity, cooperation and problem solving.
Regarding infrastructure, I would like to emphasize that a large program of development projects, constructions, expansions and improvements is underway, worth tens of millions of euros. With a focus on safety but also on optimizing the school environment, we have before us an expanded program, the implementation of which I estimate will significantly change the image of many schools. And of course, the air conditioning installation program is progressing, which despite the difficulties we are proceeding with in parallel with the upgrading of the electrical installations of the schools.
This year includes the implementation of the new evaluation system for teachers and educational work. This is a historic reform, which changes a framework of decades and connects evaluation with the professional development and continuous improvement of our teachers and the school. And we must all support it, not only as a legislative obligation but as a responsibility towards society and our children.
We are also facing the reform of Special Education, the legislation of which is now anachronistic since it goes back 30 years! The framework we propose focuses on the individualization of programs, the rationalization of the work of the committees and in general on the improvement and modernization of the pedagogical framework.
At the same time, we are strengthening the digital school, the training of teachers in Artificial Intelligence, the digital skills of students, the all-day school, Technical and Vocational Education, professional orientation and the connection of the school with the modern needs of society and the economy.
We continue to strengthen the policies of prevention and response to violence and delinquency, not only with security measures, but also with psychosocial support, the cultivation of mental resilience and the strengthening of the positive school climate.
The new school year has a dual objective. The smooth and organized operation of all schools and of course the deepening of the changes that are gradually transforming education. Education is really changing and this is a derivative of the political priority we give as a government, shaping a coherent modernization, with documentation in every aspect and stage, and providing the necessary investments. The goal is one: Measurable results for children, teachers and society.
What open issues are there and how are they progressing? And one of them is Special Education.
In addition to my previous reference to several issues, I want to note that in general our approach is not to hide the problems and not to postpone difficult decisions. Certain issues have remained open for decades. We chose to open them, discuss them and assume the political responsibility to move them forward. A typical and timely example is Special Education. The existing legislation is almost three decades old. During this time, scientific knowledge, pedagogical approaches, children's rights and society's very perception of inclusion have changed. We cannot, therefore, continue to simply add fragmentary measures to a framework that needs a comprehensive review.
The direction of the reform has already been determined. Early assessment and intervention, more substantial parental participation, better coordination of services, strengthening of school units, individualized planning for each child, modern accessibility infrastructure, utilization of assistive technology and continuous training of teachers. The aim is to change the philosophy of the system, creating a framework that synchronizes its support with the real needs of the child. Consultation with organized groups and cooperation with specialized European bodies for Special Education and Inclusive Education have already been preceded. We must recall here that regardless of the changes expected by law, we have significantly increased support with school assistants and chaperones, we are strengthening educational psychology, upgrading evaluation procedures and working towards better coordination between school, family and competent services. The measure of success is the improvement of the daily lives of children and their families. The new legislation is expected to be submitted to Parliament for discussion in the fall.
One chapter that has been of considerable interest is the teacher evaluation plan. Now that it has been legislatively concluded, how is it now being implemented in schools?
For the first time in decades, we have a modern system for evaluating teachers and educational work, which links evaluation with professional development, strengthens the pedagogical role of the school management and creates clearer and more measurable criteria. With the new system, we recognize good work, identify needs in a timely manner, provide feedback and organize targeted training and support. The new form of formative evaluation includes multiple sources of information, participation of more than one evaluator, a mechanism for examining objections and linking the school unit's self-evaluation with a unified improvement plan.
These are all parameters that will progressively strengthen the quality indicator in public schools, in all fields and components of its operation.
The implementation is carried out faithfully on the basis of the legislation. The work has already been completed with the evaluation criteria and weights, which everyone will have in their hands for transparency purposes, while we have also progressed with the service plan of the Educational Service. Based on the timetable submitted by the legislation, the new year begins with the implementation of formative evaluation, the evaluation that empowers teachers and identifies any weaknesses.
You know, the great change we are seeking has a broad social character. The culture and definition of evaluation are changing. And evaluation is now a tool for quality and development. There will be difficulties, you may ask… Yes, it takes time to adapt. Here we are.
And we do not expect everything to be done automatically. We will monitor the implementation, evaluate the data and make corrections where necessary, without, however, retreating from our fundamental goal, which is the continuous improvement of the quality of education in our country.
Regarding the content of Education, beyond the reduction and revision of the curriculum, what else is the Ministry planning?
The orientation is one. We want the school to bring out the best in every child. This is the political pursuit of our government. And as a person who has served Education for over 35 years, this is also my personal commitment. To add value to every child in public school, based on their special abilities. This is precisely what will add value to society. To the future of our country.
The reduction of matter is important and part of the educational reform. However, it does not work unambiguously. That is why we are designing an educational framework that will answer the essential question “what do we want a child to know and be able to do when he/she finishes school”. We therefore want a child who can think critically, communicate, collaborate, evaluate information, use technology responsibly and actively participate in society. Education is the nursery for the society we want.
The revision of the Curriculum is linked to the transition from the accumulation of knowledge to the cultivation of knowledge, skills and values.
We are strengthening financial literacy, Civic Education, environmental education, digital literacy, safe use of the internet, health education and risk prevention. We promote counselling in elementary school and emphasize the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence. We must teach children to use it creatively, responsibly and critically. This requires serious training of teachers, upgrading of infrastructure and a clear pedagogical and ethical framework. And this is what we are working on. We emphasize experiential learning and the connection of the school with society and the world of work. This approach has interconnected Education with the development of the country. And it is a political choice that we will see the results of in the coming years, in many fields. This philosophy includes the Work Week, the Technical High School, entrepreneurship programs, citizenship actions and STEAM programs. We want the public school to prepare children for their adult lives.
We gave a balanced proposal for the appointment system
The government has given us its reform framework in practice, in many fields and successfully.
For the appointment system, what is the goal, what is the process and what are the next steps? How are teachers and staffing levels ensured?
We must first recall why the new appointment system was created. The 2015 reform was a significant institutional change. For the first time, the selection of teachers was not based solely on when someone was registered on a list, but on predetermined and measurable criteria, including academic training, teaching experience and success in a written examination. Like every reform, the practice here also revealed distortions in the examination and procedural difficulties. This is what we are now seeking to change. And we are setting the change, taking into account important data such as the use of the experience of people who have contributed to the system, but with a framework of meritocracy for all, with durability over time. Yes, we must give perspective to new teachers. I believe that we have provided a draft proposal that can – in collaboration – be strengthened and give the education system a coherent appointment plan, without queues and exceptions. We want the appointment system to provide more quality and ensure operational sustainability, on fair terms.
We have provided a balanced proposal that ensures four elements:
Quality and meritocracy in the selection of teachers.
The adequacy of staff in all specialties and grades.
Respect for people who have already been working for a number of years and have acquired substantial educational experience.
The access of new teachers to the profession.
In relation to teachers who are already working (permanent, contract and/or fixed-term substitutes) we have proposed arrangements that allow for the continuation of their employment in the system, without undermining the constitutional principle of equality and without creating a new system of automatic permanent employment. Of course, the final framework will be subject to legislative review.
Experience is an important criterion. However, it cannot be the only criterion. The proposal of the Minister of Education and Training ensures a sufficient number of teachers for staffing, but also gives everyone a chance to progress to permanent positions on a merit-based basis. I want to be absolutely clear. Pedagogical competence and the operation of schools are non-negotiable conditions.
The Minister of Education and Training presented its proposal on July 29 and the process is currently in an active stage of elaboration and public debate. I want to believe that we will all take a responsible stance towards the role we have and the common goal that undoubtedly binds us.
The proposal will be presented institutionally, discussed with educational organizations, political parties and all stakeholders, and the parliamentary process will be followed. We are open to dialogue, but dialogue must lead to a solution and not to a new postponement.
What distortions do you identify in the appointment examinations and what do you want to change?
First, let's set a basic principle. The appointment examinations introduced a necessary meritocracy in the system. We should neither cancel their importance nor ignore the weaknesses that their implementation has highlighted. A series of distortions are now being resolved with our proposal, such as comparability with 2017, differences in the number of essays that candidates sat, the validity of the examination, etc. The goal is to make the examination more valid in terms of what we really want to measure. The new examination will not have a basis, but will allow everyone to be ranked for permanent employment purposes, while at the same time qualifications and experience will continue to be counted.
On the occasion of the discussions around the appointment system and the evaluation, we note that the Ministry's relations with educational organizations, from time to time, are going through a crisis. How difficult does this make it for the Ministry to proceed with issues of key importance and make decisions?
Educational organizations are institutional partners of the Ministry of Education, they are primarily our collaborators and represent the people who are in the classrooms every day. Their experience, opinions and observations are important. It is normal for there to be disagreements, in a dynamic environment such as the education system. However, the Ministry of Education and the organizations do not have the same role or the same responsibility. The Ministry has a responsibility towards teachers, but primarily towards children, families and society as a whole. Our policies and planning must address the issues holistically and ensure the necessary interconnection with the planning of the country itself, in an orientation for a better Cyprus for all.
The government has given us its reform framework in practice, in many fields and successfully.
Therefore, we want and seek dialogue, cooperation and the greatest possible convergences. Where relationships become more difficult is when every change is seen as a threat from the outset. When the pedagogical interest is lost from the focus.
The Ministry of Education must listen effectively and it does. We present data, we listen to suggestions and we are willing to improve a proposal. We did this in the evaluation reform. We do this in the appointment system and in Special Education.
Educational organizations are an active ally and I believe that we have a common goal, even when we disagree about the path. However, dialogue does not mean inaction. It means active participation, aimed at the modernization of public schools. As a Government, we have received a mandate from society to implement a program that will make public education worthy of the country's future. This generates our responsibility to make decisions.
I believe that, despite the occasional tensions, there are important areas in which we collaborate productively with organizations. The challenge for all is to transfer this culture of cooperation to difficult issues. The pursuit is collective, as is the responsibility. And it concerns our children and Cyprus.
